1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a system for transferring energy through an instrument panel assembly to a vehicle cross beam when an occupant's knee forces the instrument panel assembly into contact with the cross beam as a result of an external load on the vehicle. Specifically, an elongated member and a recess work in concert to prevent the cross beam from slipping past an energy transferring member disposed on the instrument panel assembly and thus reducing the energy transferring qualities thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A system for mitigating impact on an occupant's knee when an external load forces the knee into an instrument panel assembly is well documented. Such systems attempt to either absorb the energy in the instrument panel assembly itself or transfer the energy to other noncritical vehicle structures such as the door, floor, or the cross beam. However such systems require the addition of material and can therefore increase the cost of production. Furthermore, prior art does not show a system for preventing a cross beam from slipping past an instrument panel assembly.
U.S. Pub. No. 20070182189 discloses a glove compartment assembly mounted to an instrument panel which dissipates energy when the glove compartment is subjected to force from an occupant's knee. The publication teaches a deformable glove compartment box that dissipates energy from the knee impact by incorporating a deformable lid lined with a honey comb structure incorporated therein and by having the structural projection impact the cross beam. The structural projection has an arcuate profile which is designed to engage a cross beam having a circular shape.
German Patent No. DE102006016607 to Biesdorf et al. discloses a U-shaped reinforcement plate disposed near a vehicle cross bean that guides the energy in the cross beam during a side collision. The U-shaped reinforcement plat has corrugations for converting impact energy from a side collision into deformation energy.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,921,128 to Davis, Jr. et al. discloses a pair of energy absorbing brackets capable of holding a cross beam. The brackets are spaced apart from each other and have a U-Shaped portion in which the cross beam is placed. Davis, Jr. et al. teaches a pair of universal brackets capable of being mounted on cross beams of a number of different vehicle lines for supporting different knee and glove box configurations.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,196,588 to Sugawara discloses a knee guard disposed between the instrument panel and cross beam. The knee guard is a U-shaped bracket. The bracket engages the cross beam and abuts the instrument panel. Specifically, the ends of each bracket are connected to the cross beam and the base of the bracket is in contact with the interior of the instrument panel. The brackets are fitted with a folding portion which crumples under a predetermined force of a knee impact.